Cyber Monday Sale! 50% Off All Access

Every Entrepreneur Should Heed These 3 Pieces Of Sage Wisdom Let these expert's hindsight guide you as you pursue success in your career.

By Matthew Toren

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

We always look up to those who took a chance and made it big and want to know how we can find similar success. Here are three pieces of advice from super-successful entrepreneurs and why you need to listen to them now.

1. "Always look for the fool in the deal. If you don't find one, it's you." -- Mark Cuban, owner of Dallas Mavericks

You know when you get the email about helping fund a deposed Nigerian prince that it's a scam, but do you know the less subtle art of bad deals? Before you go into business with anyone, you need to take some serious time to do your research. Know who you're going into business with and perhaps even more importantly, why. What are your motivations for this partnership? What are theirs? By knowing everyone at the table, you ensure that you aren't the fool in your dealings. Do your research and don't be afraid to ask questions or walk away from a bad deal in the making.

Related: 13 Big-Time Business Leaders Share the Best Advice They Ever Got

2. "Don't worry about failure. You only have to be right once." -- Drew Houston, CEO of Dropbox

Don't let failure hold you back, or worse yet, keep you from trying. You already know that failure is a part of the business of entrepreneurship, but it's easier said than done when you're picking yourself back up after a bad break. Remember that with a shift in your perspective you can transform the stumbles and falls into opportunities to improve yourself and your business offerings. What didn't work? What did? Keep at it -- you only have to get it right once.

Related: 2013 Recap: The 10 Best Pieces of Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

3. "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." -- Steve Jobs, founder of Apple

You're going to work hard as an entrepreneur -- why not work hard at something you love? This is perhaps the greatest draw of entrepreneurialism. You have the ability to invest your time, money and work into doing something that you love. If you're going to pursue the entrepreneurial lifestyle, do yourself a favor and make sure it's in pursuit you are passionate about. You're going to need that enthusiasm and belief for the long road ahead and it will drive you to push harder and do more than others. Pick what you love and get to work.

Related: You've Built a Startup. Now, Build a Legacy.

Matthew Toren

Serial Entrepreneur, Mentor and co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com

Matthew Toren is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor and co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com. He is co-author, with his brother Adam, of Kidpreneurs and Small Business, BIG Vision: Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right (Wiley). He's based in Vancouver, B.C.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Elon Musk Still Isn't Getting His Historically High Pay as CEO of Tesla — Here's Why

A second shareholder vote wasn't enough to convince Delaware judge Kathaleen McCormick.

Leadership

Leadership vs. Management: How to Understand the Difference and 6 Ways to Bridge the Gap

Here are the key differences between leadership and management, highlighting their complementary roles and providing six strategies to develop managers into future leaders.

Growing a Business

Her Restaurant Business Is Worth $100 Million — Here's Her Unconventional Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Pinky Cole, founder of Slutty Vegan, talks about going from TV producer to restaurant owner, leaning into failure and the value of good PR.

Legal

How Do You Stop Porch Pirates From Stealing Christmas? These Top Tips Will Help Secure Your Deliveries.

Over 100 million packages were stolen last year. Here are top tips to make sure your stuff doesn't get swiped.

Business News

'Something Previously Impossible': New AI Makes 3D Worlds Out of a Single Image

The new technology allows viewers to explore two-dimensional images in 3D.

Business News

'I Stand By My Decisions': A CEO Is Going Viral For Firing Almost All of the Company's Employees — Here's Why

The Musicians Club CEO Baldvin Oddsson fired 99 workers at once over Slack for missing a morning meeting. But there's a catch.